QRP/Emergency Communications in the great outdoors (by KF8GR)

This is an extract from KF8GR / QRP web page ..........

http://www.qsl.net/kf8gr/qrp.html

QRP/Emergency Communications in the great outdoors

QRP operation in the wild is one of the best ways to renew the soul, increase your operating skill, make sure you have all the cables you need, and prepares you for operating under the most difficult conditions.

It is unfortunate that many hams think Field Day is the only training they need for emergency operations.  Field Day is the WORST training possible for emergency operations.  The entire design of Field Day is to get lid operators doing ANYTHING to run up the score.  If you doubt me, listen to the idiots trying to talk over the SSTV frequencies on any contesting weekend.  Now don't get me wrong, contesting CAN be a great way to get set up for emergency traffic handling, etc.  It is just not normally used that way, it is just the excuse used to contest.

Using a QRP rig, a laptop computer, and the best antenna setup you can find, and working on a day when no one even knows you are out there is how you test your true skills.  If you can fill a logbook from a rustic park or woodland setting, you can work emergency operations almost anywhere.  Every day you spend in the wild is a true test of your operating skill, band conditions, and camping knowledge.  Couple this with Adventure Radio, and man.... that's living.  Any jerk can spend a weekend in June pretending to be an emergency communicator.  As the good book says, by your works you shall be known.

If I have offended any hams, good.  Maybe they will get out and REALLY start to learn how to be an emergency communicator.  

"You are 60db over nine,

turn down your power, stupid!"